Kunshan is the city where we study, work, and live. It is also an ancient Jiangnan city whose stories invite us to slow down, look closely, and discover its many layers.
昆山，是我们学习、工作与生活的城市，也是一座值得被慢慢阅读的江南古城。
More than 6,000 years ago, people settled and cultivated the land across this water-rich region. Over the centuries, its rivers and lakes sustained a thriving rice-farming civilization and shaped the water towns, bridges, lanes, and everyday life of Kunshan. The refined melodies of Kunqu Opera, the writings and ideas of generations of scholars, and the familiar scenes of Jiangnan life have all become part of the city’s enduring cultural heritage.
六千多年前，先民已在这片水网密布的土地上定居、耕作。漫长的岁月中，河流与湖泊滋养了稻作文明，也孕育了古镇、桥梁、街巷与市井生活。昆曲的水磨清音、文人学者的思想文章、江南水乡的日常风物，共同汇入这座城市绵延不息的历史文脉。
Yet a city is not defined by geography and history alone. The people who live within it continue to shape it as well. How people live, record their everyday lives, and understand the world all influence, little by little, the character of a city. A city, then, is not a finished product of history, but a shared work that continues to grow and to be written.
但一座城市并不仅仅由地理和历史定义。生活在其中的人，也在不断塑造它。人们如何生活，如何记录日常，如何理解世界，都在一点一点影响一座城市的气质。城市因此不是一个已经完成的历史结果，而是一个仍在不断生长、不断被书写的共同作品。
As early autumn arrives and a new academic year begins, we warmly invite students, faculty, staff, and members of the public to visit the exhibition. When we begin to know a city, we also begin to become part of its story.
随着初秋与新学期的到来，我们诚挚邀请广大师生与公众朋友走进展览，当我们开始认识一座城市，我们也开始成为它故事的一部分。
About the Exhibition | 关于展览
Presented by Duke Kunshan University Library, Where Waters Remember: Kunshan in Qian Li’s Pen Drawingstakes the pen drawings of Kunshan local artist Qian Li as its visual thread and draws on historical materials from the Kunshan Archives. Bringing drawings and archival records into dialogue, we trace both Kunshan’s history and the life of the city still unfolding today.
由昆山杜克大学图书馆主办的“文脉昆山——钱笠钢笔画里的江南风物”，以昆山本土画家钱笠先生的钢笔画为视觉线索，并结合昆山市档案馆“玉出昆冈——昆山历史文化档案陈列展”的史料。艺术家的个人视角与档案中的公共记忆在此相遇，让我们看见昆山的历史，也看见仍在发生的当下。
📌Opening Ceremony 开幕式
August 25th, 2026; 4:00 – 5:00pm
2026年8月25日(星期二)下午4:00-5:00
📌Exhibition Date 展览时间
August 25 – October 23, 2026
2026年8月25日-10月23日
📌Exhibition Location 展览地点
Library Lobby West, Duke Kunshan University
昆山杜克大学图书馆一楼大厅西侧
Exhibition Highlights | 展览亮点
CHAPTER 1 | LAND AND CIVILIZATION
第 1 章 | 根：土地与文明
Begin with a single seed. Explore Kunshan’s prehistoric cultures, archaeological sites, and the beginnings of rice farming.
从一粒种子开始，探索昆山水网密布的史前遗址与稻作文明的开端。
CHAPTER 2 | CULTURE AND FIGURES
第 2 章 | 脉：文化与人物
Encounter historical figures from the Two Lu Brothers and scientist Zu Chongzhi, to the “Three Sages of Kunshan” whose ideas left a lasting mark on Chinese culture.
走近两晋“二陆”、科学家祖冲之，以及影响中华文明的“昆山三贤”等历史伟人
CHAPTER 3 | CITY AND DAILY LIFE
第 3 章 | 形：城市与生活
Wander through bridges and lanes, and discover how traditional occupations and local foods form the spatial texture of Jiangnan water towns.
穿梭于桥梁与街巷，看老行当与地方美食如何构成江南水乡的空间肌理
CHAPTER 4 | ART AND FOLK CUSTOMS
第 4 章 | 声：艺术与民俗
Listen to the lingering Shuimo tune of Kunqu Opera and Kunbei Folk Songs that preserve local memory and keep cultural heritage alive.
聆听昆曲婉转悠长的水磨腔与昆北民歌，重温世代相传的民间记忆
Special Interactive Feature | 特别互动项目
Explore the Digital Map (探索数字地图)
We have mapped 60 of his works depicting Kunshan’s scenery and architecture and presented them through ArcGIS Online. Scan the QR code at the exhibition to explore Kunshan through his drawings on your phone!
展览现场特别准备了互动体验！我们将其中60幅描绘昆山风景与建筑的作品标注于数字地图，并通过 ArcGIS Online 保存和呈现。观众可扫描现场二维码，在手机上循着画作亲自探索昆山！
Talk with Gu Yanwu (与顾炎武对话)
Also on-site is a special AI-powered interactive experience——Virtual Gu Yanwu. The great thinker of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties has been reimagined as a digital persona. Visitors can speak directly with him, asking questions about his life, ideas, and writings. Built on a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) framework, every response is grounded in verifiable historical sources——allowing you to engage with history and ideas in a truly immersive way.
展览现场还设有一项特别的AI互动体验——顾炎武虚拟人。这位明末清初的伟大思想家以数字人的形式“复活”，观众可以直接与他对话，提问关于他的生平、思想和著作。系统基于检索增强生成（RAG）框架，每一句回答皆有文献可考、有出处可循，让你在对话中感受历史的温度与思想的深度。
Public Visiting Hours| 公众开放观展时间
August 八月: 25, 28, 29, 30
September 九月: 4–5, 11–12, 18–19
October 十月: 10–11, 16–17
External Visitor Guide | 校外人士参展指南
STEP 1 | 第一步
Scan/press long the QR code or search wechat public account “昆山杜克大学服务DKU Services“, click on “services”, choose “Campus Access”
搜索“昆山杜克大学服务DKU Services”或扫描下方二维码关注微信公众号，点击右侧下方“Service”，选择“Campus Access”
STEP 2 | 第二步
Choose “Non-DKUers”, type your phone number and get the identification code.
*If you have previously registered and have changed your mobile phone number, you can click “Change phone” to link your new number.
选择“校外人员”输入手机号，并输入验证码登录。
*之前注册过的用户，若更换了手机号码，可点击“换绑手机号”重新绑定
STEP 3 | 第三步
Enter your name, choose the document type, and enter the document number.
*You must present the original ID card or passport for entry to the campus. Ensure that the ID card number or passport number is entered correctly to avoid any issues with access.
输入姓名，证件类型和证件号码，点击“实名认证”
*注意：须持身份证/护照原件入校，请确保证件号码填写正确，以免无法入校
STEP 4 | 第四步
Choose “visiting appointment”, choose the date of visiting, add the visitor’s info. Reservations may be made up to seven days in advance.
选择“参观预约”，填入相关信息，即可完成预约。
预约须提前七天内进行。
We look forward to meeting you there to wander between history and the present!
期待与您相聚，共续悠悠文脉！
